French law firm Gide has opened an office in Tehran on Tuesday 12 September. It becomes the first international law firm to obtain a licence to open a branch office and practise in Iran under its own name. As the  second economic power in the Middle East, Iran is of  strategic importance in the region.  Gide has been practising in the Middle East and North Africa for nearly 30 years via its offices in Paris, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Moscow, Istanbul and its four hubs in the region (Algiers, Casablanca, Istanbul and Tunis). Gide Tehran is headed up by Iranian lawyer Mehrnoosh Aryanpour, who joined Gide as partner in January 2017, alongside Paris-based partner Christophe Eck.

Long-standing presence

Baudouin de Moucheron, senior partner of Gide, commented: 'We are convinced that our long-standing presence in the region, the close relationships we have forged with local authorities, and our command of the various civil and common law legal systems, alongside our knowledge of Islamic and Iranian customs, represent solid assets for the development of our clients’ projects in Iran.'

Local team

Mehrnoosh Aryanpour, partner in charge of Gide Tehran, said: 'I am delighted that Gide has given me this opportunity. The Iranian market is growing rapidly, and through this office we hope to fully support French companies looking to continue their expansion to Iran. With a view to offering our clients the best possible assistance, we are looking to set up a local team that will be entirely composed of highly talented local and international lawyers, drawn from among the best in their generation.'

Sanctions

 A specialist in global trade and regulatory matters, Mehrnoosh Aryanpour acts in particular on sanctions and export controls (ITAR, EAR, and OFAC), WTO disputes, and multi-jurisdictional commercial matters in transport, energy, and infrastructure. She advises a number of national and international companies active in the oil & gas, maritime and air transport, heavy industry, pharmaceutical and hotel sectors on prior audits and issues pertaining to Iranian sanctions. Admitted to the New York Bar in 2009, she worked for several major British and American firms in the United States prior to joining Gide. Gide has 15 offices throughout the world and 600 lawyers.